She was trying to arrange a ride home for Andrew when heoverheard her asking a couple of her friends if they could drop him off at Stormhaven.
“I don’t need to stay,” he said. “I can leave now.”
She frowned through facial muscles that felt strained and achy. “Are you sure? I don’t want to take you away if you’re having a good time.”
He gave her a careful look and she saw concern in his dark eyes. Apparently she wasn’t as good at hiding her shock and dismay as she hoped.
“No, it’s fine. I’m ready to go. More than ready.”
“All right. I just need to get my things.”
She found her purse in the closet where she had left it, grabbed the empty plate that had once contained lemon bars and somehow managed to extricate herself from the party, giving monosyllabic answers to everyone who wished her good evening.
She was still fighting back tears as she made her way to her car and unlocked it with hands that trembled.
She had to hope Andrew didn’t notice. “I’m really sorry to drag you away from the party,” she said, starting the car when he slid inside.
“Why? It was wrapping up anyway. I’m happy to leave.”
She made some kind of sound, she wasn’t sure what, as she pulled out into the street and headed back toward their neighborhood.
She could feel Andrew’s scrutiny through the darkness. “What is this about, Rosie? What happened? Everything seemed to be fine but now you look like you were smacked in the head by a two-by-four.”
“I’m fine.”
She couldn’t tell him. Not when she was still trying to come to terms with the shocking information herself.
“The book club went well, don’t you think?” she said in an artificially bright voice. “Everyone there was so happy to meet you and to talk about your books.”
“I enjoyed myself more than I expected to,” he admitted. “Wood Briar seems like a very welcoming place.”
“It is. I saw you talking with Samantha Taylor. She’s a dear friend with kids around the same age as Zara and Finn. You two would be a good couple.”
It was the only distraction she could come up with right now, with her emotions so tangled and raw.
“Are you really trying to set me up with one of your friends?”
She tightened her hands on the steering wheel. “Not exactly. I was only spilling the tea that she’s available. If you’re interested.”
“I’m not.”
“Well, you could do far worse, if you were,” she answered, grateful to focus on something else. “Sam is a smart, funny, warm woman. And a terrific mom to her kids.”
“Now you sound like my mother.”
Ouch. She was older than him by at least a few years. And, yes, she was a grandmother. But she was a young grandmother, wasn’t she?
Somehow she managed to compartmentalize what she had overheard so she could speak politely to Andrew about other things. The children’s play coming up, the construction project, the rain that was forecast for at least a few more days.
She knew she was babbling. The words seemed to spill out of her, but she didn’t care. Better to focus on anything else right now.
It was only a few moments but it felt like forever before shefinally pulled up to the carriage house at Stormhaven. “Here we are. I hope you have a good night.”
To her dismay, he made no immediate move to get out of the vehicle. Instead, he turned to face her, studying her features in the dim light from her dashboard.
“You’ve done a pretty good job of hiding it, but I can tell you’re still upset. Is there anything I can do?”
Her throat closed up at the concern in his voice and she barely fought down a sob.